uieter - far too quiet for an

tered the art

h emails, sticky notes, or filtered instructions via Nathasha. Her once frequent

not

to be alone, every moment her eyes danced aro

annoy

infuri

s, soft under his, or the tremble in he

was a mistake. Like that moment bet

of it - not when her job was on the line.

reorganizing files, coordinating high-level meetings, and ensuring th

athasha

ne evening, arms folded as

look up. "I

lunch three days in a row and haven't s

nt to talk

ile, "but avoiding tension doesn't make

uld respond, he

e Room A – Mr. Cole +

Bring the updat

uess I'm not avo

Conferen

glass table, his suit impeccabl

in one of Cole's luxury real estate ventures. Damon was charming, mid-

t pulse racing. Her eyes flicked briefly to Cole

" Cole introduced cu

u're the Nancy I've heard about.

d, but Nancy

ed the profit margin changes you asked for, Mr. G

idn't t

appreciative once-over. "I must say, Mr. Co

I'm here to work, sir.

n't leave Damon

Damon leaned closer again. "A

opped h

at's not relevant to th

't had to beat them off with a stick. Beautiful, smart

sharply, voice co

casually. "Relax, C

Grayson, I take my job seriously, and I'm not here to entertain anyone

and a little impressed. H

exited the room, but he followed

That E

n the hallway ne

an

stop

rlier-" h

she said quic

e the way he

e protective, Mr. Cole. Not whe

"So that's what t

the only way I don't fall apart ev

was low. "

thing we both know

eyes l

eathing. Un

dinged open

in, turned

o work. Not

ing Cole standing there, f

The Distan

lights had dimmed across the rest of

kept replayi

get to be p

o work. Not

avy sigh and lo

misre

t something. But maybe, just maybe, Nancy had been trying to

interested in him the

Cole, who never cha

kyline. The view was breathtaking, but his thoughts were elsew

w, making a quiet

terested... then

ional. Civil. Distant, i

rning | Col

ietly left when Nathasha entered, sipping her iced

hell," she said

idn't

ebrow. "Trouble in bo

re is no paradise. She's not

, then gave a slow n

Day | Nan

p of coffee and her third report w

ting," Nathasha smiled

en relaxed. "Not at

desk. "Just a little reminder that I do m

d the folde

, branding proposals, and sign

ounder & CEO | VEL

ked. "You

the game, running solo. I only step into Cole I

ow," Nancy murmur

ople don't. They assume I'm just the rich, spoile

with new respect. "T

orked hard to make sure I wasn't just living

then nodded faint

lared. "You don't talk

etending to stack papers. "Th

t this far in life, in a city like this, working

smile that didn't quite reac

g the wall but respecti

ning | Cole's

ind her and walked straight

asked witho

g into the chair across from him. "She's guarded. Not beca

Cole's

up. "She

And she shut down like a vault. Changed

essing that. "So you t

hasha said. "Which makes your little kiss - or whatever happened betwee

darkened,

sha added softly. "But

gh windows as the city glowed in the background. The ticking of th

nference table, laptop open, fi

lled to his elbows, eyes scanning the

ed in with the excuse of needing to f

eeded to do

kne

knew

re the

creen. "Then site inspection Thursday afternoon. I moved your dinner wi

not leaving her. "And

ll need to approve your RSV

of a second - just enough t

ep all this in your head

d down. "It

your job," he said

idn't

from her, his eyes studying her face - the quiet stren

been avo

ers stilled

y," she answer

avoidi

s, and for a moment, ne

... blur lines again," she sai

r lines?" he asked, leaning

I let myself look at you for too

ething unspoken passin

ate, and walked to the win

e said, still facing away. "That if yo

idn't

hours - knowing we could've handled this over email...

ightened. Her p

ace her. "Tell

d, standing too, voice shaking. "I

closer, his voice calm but intense.

idn't

ed the space betw

doing this?"

id roughly. "And every time you pretend like what ha

the edge of his desk. He didn't touc

ou," she said, eyes glistenin

s knit.

izing she had le

ncy

e whispered, br

r, he caught her wrist - not force

an

wly, her eyes

ed in the silence,

aid, voice low. "I'm asking you to stop l

artb

n t

said again, but s

let

- but Cole watched her go, his ja

ext chapter of Wanna

Days

mosphere had

iced it i

ks, giving instructions - but something about him

ach

cessary. There were no unexpected run-ins, no casual small

her the space

t hurt more th

| Nancy's

modest apartment. The lights were low. A half-eaten

ed in her old grey hoodie,

d think abou

vo

r like he saw more than

er skin, even for a second, and l

her chest and leaned her

en," she whisper

s louder tha

one this

n once - and what

ur trust. Your

- the empty promises, the gaslighting, the way he'd made

emembered Cole

. I'm asking you to stop lying abo

ly, pressing her fi

're not doing this again. No

the ache di

| Cole's

aze of the rain as Cole stood near his floor

cked his phon

reminders from Nancy. No texts from N

sil

ind wasn'

ately - this version of him who kept glancing at the office door whenever she walked by, who m

, ran his fingers through his hair,

did this happen

before - beautiful women, flings, women

? She was

Never played into his ego. She d

to work... and

had fasci

nated him - it

fallen

a

s slipping thro

the printed schedule she'd left him during their last meeting - the one

ngers along h

much she wasn

she carried

at the right move was - to resp

Nancy's

desk, pulling open a drawer. Inside was a faded e

letter.

dn't o

ed at it, fin

ke Cole," she whispered. "He'll rui

he knew she